War game.



H. L, MQNEIGHT. WAR GAME.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 15, I918.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

&8? ill!" llllmm MW rro.

an e

aeeaoeo.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Cat. 8, 1918.

Application filed January 16, 1918. Serial No. 212,006.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Y L. MoNnIen'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fredoniafin the county of Chautauqua, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in War Games, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved game and has as its primary object to provide a device of this character wherein the game board employed will embody a map showing the principal countries of central Europe and wherein the said countries will be divided into opposing or belligerent groups each having an army represented by the game pieces employed so that the players of the game in each moving the game pieces to capture the game pieces or army of the opposing player will be supplied with theincentive of winning for the group of nations represented by such player.

The invention has as a further object to provide a game which will furnish scientific and entertaining amusement and which will also, at the same time, provide an interesting and easy way of learning the relative location of the difierent countries of central Europe, the location of their principal cities and fortifications, as well as the courses of the various principal rivers of the said countries.

And the invention has as a still further object, in this connection, to provide a game wherein the game board employed will prove of real practical value as a reference map for supplying geographical information concerning the principal central European countries.

Other and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds. In the drawings wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a planview of my improved game board showing the manner in which the playing surface of the board is adapted to provide a map of the principal countries of central Europe,

Fig. 2. is a fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the neutral areas of the board are indicated,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, and showing the manner in which the area of one group of belligerent nations is indicated, such group being designated the Entente 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, and showmg the manner in which the other group of belligerent nations is indicated,

this group being designated as the Central game board may be constructed of cardboard or other suitable material and is preferably formed to fold along a medial longitudinal line. The board may, of course, be varied in size, as found most desirable. The playing surface of the board is laid OR in squares after the manner of an ordinary checker board and imprinted or otherwise traced upon the said surface of the board is a map particularly showing the principal countries or nations of central Europe. The capitals of these countries are indicated by a designating mark, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The principal cities and fortifications of the said countries are also preferably indicated, as are the courses of the variousrivers. However, to. avoid confusion, I have, in the present instance, only shown the capitals of the majority of the countries and a few of the principal cities. For the purposes of the present game certaln of the countries are divided into opposing or belligerent groups while certain other of the countries are designated as neutral countries. The countries of one belli erent group are indicated as shown by t e diagram of Fig. 3, and for convenience are designated as the Entente. The countries comprising such group include, as will be observed, Great Britain, France, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Morocco, Algeria and Tunis. The area of these countries is preferably colored yellow, or other distinctive color. The countries of the other belligerent group are indicated as shown by the diagram of Fig. 4, and for con- 'venience, are designated as the Central Powers. The countries included in the Central Powers are, as will also be observed upon reference to Fig. 1, Germany, Austria- Spain. The area of this group of countries is preferably colored green or some other distinctive color different from the colors of the areas of the belligerent groups respectively, while the borders of the countries of the neutral group are also preferably colorder red to'further identify the countries of the said group.

Within the area controlled by the group of Entente nations, certain of the squares of the game board are identified by a lurality of circles or other approved mar to indicate the initial positions for the game pieces representing the army of suchIgroup. The circles referred to are indicated 'at 11 and preferably the said circles are of a dis tinctive identifying color. Within the area controlled by the group of countries designated as the Central Powers, certain of the I squares 'of the game board are identified by a plurality of circles or other approved mark designating the initial positions for the game pieces representing the army of the entral Powers. The latter circles referred to are indicated at 12. In order to distinguish the circles 12 from the circles 11, I have, in Fig. 1, shown the circles 12 within a surrounding ring. The circles 12 are of a distinctive identifying color different from that of the circles 11. In this connection, it should be observed that there are twenty-five of the circles 11 and also an equal number of the circles 12. The number of the circles, in each instance, will depend, of course, upon the maximum number of game pieces used to represent the armies of the countries of the belligerent groups. The game pieces employed are preferably small disks, as shown in Figs. 6 and? of the drawings. In Fig. 6 I have shown a typical one of the game pieces belonging to the Entente group of countries. These game pieces are indicated by the reference numeral 13 and are hatched, as shown in this figure in order to distinguish in-the drawing from the game pieces of the group of. countries designated as the Central Powers. Twentyfive of the game pieces 13 are preferably employed and these game pieces are given a distinctive identifying color such as green- In Fig. 7 'I have shown a typical one of thegame pieces representing the army of the group of countries designated as the Central owers. Such game pieces are indicated by the reference numeral 14 and are hatched as shown in Fig. 7 to distinguish in the- 14 are also preferably employed. However,

it is to be understood that the number of game pieces representing the armies of the ifi'erent opposing groups of countries may be varied as found most desirable.

In playing the game, all of the game pieces 13 are initially placed within thes'quares of the game boarddesignated by the circles 11; In like manner all the game pieces 14 are disposed within the squares ofthe game board designated by the circles 12.

These game pieces then represent the opposing'armies of the countries of the belligerent groups and the players may begin moving the game pieces, one player, of course, representing one group of countries or the Entente, and the other player representing the other group of countries .or the Central Powers. In moving the game pieces the object of each player is to so dispose and shift his game pieces or army upon the board as to capture the game pieces or army of the opposing player and thus clear the board of such opposing army.

Each player in turn moves one game' piece at a time and each game piece can be moved only one square at a time but may be moved in any direction on the board or, in other words, either forward or back or crosswise in either direction. All of the squares taken in or touched by the boundary of a neutral country will be considered as neutral squares and, in playing the game, the game pieces must be moved around such neutral squares under penalty of being considered as interned to be consequently removed from the board, upon entering such neutral squares. The game pieces of each army are captured by being jumped by a gamepiece of the opposing army. A player may ump any of his game pieces in any directlon and may jump any number of his opponents game pieces provided that there are interveningempty squares in which to alight the game piece being used to jump and further provided, of course, that such game piece being used to jump will not alight in a neutral square. The opponentsgame pieces so jumped will be immediately removed from.

the board. When a player is in a position to capture an opposing game piece by jumpthat a player might find it of advantage to thus lose a g-zme piece if, by so doing, he were able to capture two or more of his opponents game pieces.

In any instance where a player might jump one of his game pieces in two or more directions to capture one his opponents game pieces, such player shall be entitled to choose the articu ar direction .in which he shall jump is game piece, and this without regard as to whether by jumping in one direction the player would be enabled to capture only one opposing game piece or by jumping player who first captures all of his opponents game pieces or forces the game pieces of his opponent into such position that they cannot be played, will be considered to win the game and, it will be seen that since the opposing game pieces represent the respective armies of the countries of the belligerentgroups as designated upon the game board, a particular incentive will be furished each player to win the game. Furthermore, it will be seen that in playing the game the geographical features of the several countries illustrated by the'map upon the game board, will unavoidably be brought to attention. Consequently the game will provide an easy and interesting way of learning the relative geographical location of the various countries shown as well as the location of their capitals, principal cities, fortifications, or other places of strategical importance. Also, in this connection it will be seen that the map of the game board will prove of real practical value as a reference map for gaining detailed information concerning the area shown.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A game of the character described including a game board having a playing surface marked ofl in playing spaces and bearing a map showing the boundaries of a plurality of countries, the said countries being divided into groups and the countries of one of the groups being designated as neutral areas upon the board.

2. ,A game of the character described including a game board having a playing surface marked ofi in playing spaces and bear ing a map showing the boundaries of a plurality of countries, the said countries being divided into groups including opposing groups of countries and a neutral group of countries indicating neutral playing spaces upon the board.

3. A game of the character described including a game board having a playing surface marked ofl in playing spaces and bearing amdp showing the boundaries of a plurality of countries, the said countries being divided into groups including opposing groups of countries having their areas distinguished upon the board by a common identifying color for the countries of each of such opposing groups, and a neutral group of countries having their areas distinguished upon the board by a common identifying color difi erent from the color of each of said first-mentioned groups of countries.

4. A game of the character described including a game board having a playing survthe border thereof bearing a different color.

In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature.

HARRY L. MONEIGHT. 

